Black

XXIV // The Reigning Lily Evans

Saturday

December 13, 1977

Great Hall

"Is it just me, or is Remus acting weird?" I asked Marley who was sitting across from me. 

It is lunch and Lily is currently forcing Lottie to study for her makeup Potions test, so I decided to avoid that negativity by spending lunch with Marley.

"Weird?" Marley said, glancing down the table at the four boys. They were talking and laughing as usual, but Remus kept giving little glances back at us. He hadn't even choked on his pumpkin juice once. 

"Yeah, weird," I said. "He's been heaps more talkative lately, and he asked me about the diary he bought me for my birthday. It's not like specifically unusual behaviour, it's just different than it usually is."

"Aren't you trying to move on from the whole Remus thing?" asked Marley, raising an eyebrow. "Pretty sure this is just an overly invested viewpoint trying to explain normal friendly activity."

"Well, actually, I have been trying, and I am mostly succeeding, thank you very much. In fact, one could say I am moved on. It's been what, almost three weeks now?"

"Right," said Marley, unconvinced. 

"Ever since I found out that he..." I decided to stop there before I said anything else

"You found out he, what?" asked Marley. "You do know you stopped in the middle of a sentence, right? That's not how sentences work."

I figured I probably shouldn't mention the whole 'werewolf' thing, seeing as Remus freaked out about me knowing and all. Also, he asked me not to say anything and this time I swear I am not going to say anything to anyone. Even Black. Who probably definitely already knows. Actually now that I think about it Remus did say that the boys know about it, which is crazy. I can't believe Black kept this secret from me for so long! And he says we're friends and everything. 

Anyway, I have digressed too long. 

"I know how sentences work," I said indignantly. "I just decided not to finish that one for personal reasons. So, as I was saying, ever since Remus and I had a conversation about a thing that happened he's been weird around me. I'm quite observant you know, so I can pick up on these things."

Marley, for some reason, snorted into her sandwich. 

"What's funny about that?"

"Oh, nothing... Nothing... Just, you. Quite... Observant."

Now Marley was being weird too. 

"Can you just stop whatever you're laughing at for a second and listen? He's being weird and I don't know what to do!"

"Just chill, Eva. He probably found out you were in love with him for so long and now he doesn't know how to act around you. That's the only reasonable explanation I can think of for him being 'weird' as you say. Do with my opinion as you will."

Marley's opinion was a sobering thought. Could Remus really know? I mean, the girls did say it was kind of obvious. Merlin. This is not good. I think my best bet is to just avoid him for as long as possible. That's reasonable, right? I don't need this negativity in my life right now. 

I glance over to where the boys are sitting and accidentally make eye contact with Remus, who goes slightly pink and quickly takes a sip of his pumpkin juice. Oh no. He definitely knows. 

"Eva? Eva. Are you okay?" Marley interrupts my train of thought.

"What?"

"You looked panicked, so..."